Uprooting evil or religious oppression? President Lee's undeclared war on Unification Church raises thorny legal questions.

President Lee Jae Myung targets the Unification Church, suggesting potential dissolution for entities harming society. His remarks, amid political turmoil, have sparked legal and ethical debates, as investigations reveal political collusion.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a meeting with the foreign ministers and vice ministers of 15 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Dec. 10. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

[NEWS ANALYSIS]

President Lee Jae Myung's statement on Tuesday that any entity, whether corporate or religious, should be dissolved if it commits a crime or acts to harm society, is being interpreted by analysts as his declaration of war against the Unification Church.

“Just as individuals are sanctioned for criminal or antisocial behavior, corporate bodies — whether incorporated associations or foundations, including religious groups — must be dissolved if they engage in behavior that violates the Constitution or the law and deserves public condemnation,” Lee said during a Cabinet meeting held Tuesday at the Presidential Office in central Seoul.

“Incorporated associations and foundations under the Civil Act can be dissolved when there is a cause for dissolution, and once the competent ministry issues an order, dissolution takes effect."

The remarks came one week after he ordered a legal review of cases in which religious foundations were found to have engaged in systematic political intervention, which he said violated the principle of the separation of church and state. Although President Lee did not name any specific religion, political circles interpreted the remarks as effectively declaring a “war on the Unification Church.”

During last week's meeting, he asked Legislation Minister Cho Won-cheol about the legal procedures involved, such as whether a dissolved group’s assets revert to the government and which authority is responsible for enforcement. Cho responded that dissolution is possible when a religious organization engages in persistent and serious illegal acts. President Lee replied that they could "file a lawsuit, and the court would decide whether it's right or wrong and either cancel the order or let it stand.”

The presidential office reiterated Lee's determination in a press release on Wednesday, saying, "President Lee instructed that any illegal involvement between a specific religious group and politicians must be investigated strictly, regardless of political affiliation or rank.”

President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a Cabinet meeting held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Dec. 9. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Lee's comment came as allegations of collusion between the Unification Church and the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol emerged during the ongoing special investigation led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki.

The probe resulted in the arrest of church leader Han Hak-ja and senior officials on charges of illegally donating 100 million won ($68,000) to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party (PPP). Investigators believe the church used 144 million won from organizational funds between April and July 2022 to make disguised political contributions to PPP lawmakers and to encourage mass membership drives to back a specific candidate ahead of the party convention in March 2023.

However, the “religious-political collusion” scandal had been spreading to the Democratic Party (DP). On Friday, Yun Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church's World Headquarters, told the court that the group had made contact with both the PPP and the DP. It was also recently revealed that the investigation team had obtained testimony that the church gave cash and watches to two DP lawmakers.

Some in the DP view President Lee’s strong remarks as a calculated strategy.

People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong attends a hearing on allegations that he received illegal political funds from the Unification Church, at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Nov. 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul after being questioned on charges of illegal connections to the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration on Sept. 22. [YONHAP]

“The best defense is a good offense,” said Rep. Park Jie-won of the DP. “If the Unification Church has extended its influence to our party, we must get to the bottom of it. This could become a major issue.” Another party insider said, “Most politicians try to avoid conflict with religious groups, but President Lee pushes forward as long as the cause is justified. This could be like his previous fight against the Shincheonji Church — and end in victory.”

As Gyeonggi governor in February 2020, President Lee drew attention when he personally visited the Shincheonji Church headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, to demand a list of members. The high-profile visit came amid public outrage over alleged Covid-19 quarantine violations by the religious group.

“While the immediate target appears to be the Unification Church, the broader aim is to establish a norm that religion must not intervene in politics," said political strategist Cho Gwi-dong of consulting firm MIN. "Ultimately, this is aimed at the alliance between conservative Protestant groups and the PPP, especially those who led rallies against the impeachment of former President Yoon.”

The PPP fired back, accusing President Lee of using threats to deflect from scandals within his own party.

The Unification Church headquarters in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, is seen on Sept. 18. [YONHAP]

“As damaging testimony against the Lee administration and the DP pours in, the president is publicly threatening to ‘wipe out’ anyone who speaks further,” PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said. “If the Unification Church should be dissolved, so should the DP.” Former party leader Han Dong-hoon also called Lee's remarks “a public threat akin to saying, ‘If you talk about the money you gave us, we’ll destroy you,’” adding, “The gate to the Unification Church scandal has already been opened, and the more Lee tries to deflect, the more suspicions will grow.”

Whether the government will actually begin dissolution proceedings remains unclear. In Japan, religious organizations can be dissolved by court order under Article 81 of the Religious Corporations Act if they are found to have seriously harmed public welfare. But in Korea, corporate status is revoked through administrative orders under civil law, meaning any action would likely lead to legal disputes and political controversy.

Separately, President Lee said Tuesday that "If we want to improve society and correct its irrationalities, some conflict and resistance is inevitable." He continued, "We must overcome it — that’s what I call reform. The original meaning of reform is to strip off one’s skin — it hurts. Change without resistance and conflict isn’t real change,” he said.

His comments were seen as a reaffirmation of support for the judicial reform bills being pushed by the DP — including the creation of a court division to handle insurrection charges against former President Yoon — despite strong opposition from the judiciary and conservative parties.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY OH HYUN-SEOK, YOON SUNG-MIN, KIM HYUN-YE [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]